John Higgins crowned Welsh Open champion after defeating Ben Woollaston
Last Updated: 22/02/15 10:50pm
John Higgins returned to snooker's winner's podium for the first time since September 2012 after beating Ben Woollaston 9-3 in the final of the Welsh Open.
The 39-year-old Scot’s win in Cardiff was his first tournament victory since he won the Shanghai Masters 30 months ago.
That is a considerable wait for a man who has won the world title four times, but he looked back to his best in the Welsh capital as he got the better of final debutant Woollaston.
It was a fourth Welsh title for the Wishaw man, giving him his own personal record.
"It's a good feeling," Higgins told BBC Wales. "Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry have all the records sewn up so it's good to have a little one.
"It's been tough (his lean spell). It's great to come out and win and to be fair, nothing went right for Ben.
"I know what it's like to be in a first final and he will be in many more so well done to him."
Higgins edged the afternoon session 5-3, starting out with a break of 84 and following it up with a 105.
Woollaston was dogged, though, and Higgins needed a fluke on the green to take the last frame of the session and a lead into the evening.
It was routine for him in the race to nine after that and he can now celebrate being a winner again.
"I've always been the sort of player where after a high comes a low," he said.
"That kept me going. I've been on a low the last couple of years but you have to keep on believing there's a high round the corner. I have another high and hopefully I can keep it going for a while."
